(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates integrated circuit (IC) tester, particularly to the testing socket of the tester.
(2) Brief Description of Related Art
FIG. 1 shows a cross-section view of a prior art testing socket for ICs. The socket is mounted on a circuit board 12. Two or more printed circuit pads 13 lay over the circuit board 12.The leads 11 of the IC 10 under test are in contact with contact points 17 of the pads 13. The contact points may be flat or protruded as shown in FIG. 1. The top view of the socket is shown in FIG. 2. The pads 13 are two cantilevers, hinged to the circuit board 12 at the near ends of the two cantilever pads 13. Since the contact points 17 are located vertically on top of the hinges of the cantilever 13, the contact points 17 do not yield when the leads of the IC 10 under test are pressed on the contact points. Due to wear and tear of repeated testing, the contact points 17 tend to wear out.